INDULGE IN A FLORAL TREAT WITH AFTERNOON TEA AT 100 QUEEN’S GATE FOR A BLOOMIN’ DELICIOUS EXPERIENCE
If you visited or watched the RHS Chelsea Flower Show on television last week and it’s given you that spring feeling, why not treat yourself to a floral-themed afternoon tea?
Until 30 June, 100 Queen’s Gate Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton will be serving up its traditional afternoon tea with a botanical flourish.
100 Queen’s Gate was the former home of Victorian aristocrat William Henry Alexander, and has been stunningly transformed into a hotel that embraces the building’s heritage, retaining much of its original 1870s architecture.
Tea is served in The Botanica, the hotel’s elegant new tearoom, which is filled with plants and flooded with natural daylight – the perfect setting for a relaxing afternoon. On arrival we were warmly welcomed by staff. Once seated we were shown the selection of blends on offer from Whittard of Chelsea. Throughout the course of the afternoon I tried the Mango and Bergamot, the Orange Blossom and the Chelsea Garden, which with its delicate signature White Peony was my favourite.
The afternoon tea, inspired by the gardens at Chelsea, was beautifully presented – a veritable country garden feast. The bottom tier was adorned with baby beetroot and courgette flowers, which was a lovely addition. We started with gin and tonic smoked salmon and cream cheese on flower-shaped dark rye, confit chicken with saffron mayo and garlic flower in sliced cylinder bread and a brie, asparagus and cucumber flower brioche. The variety of sandwiches and fillings were spot on, particularly the brie brioche!
For our second tier, we had lavender and orange scones served with Saint Dalfour strawberry, Blackberry Rhapsodie and clotted cream which came in a sweet little watering can. Again, these were perfectly baked bites of heaven, especially the orange scones.
The top tier was the highlight of this delicious creation. The final sweet treats were served on a bed of edible chocolate soil decorated with sweet pickled heritage baby carrots, strawberries and chocolate flowers. Pastries and cakes included a chocolate roulade, mango sunflower, lemon and lavender gateau and summer fruits macaron, but the piece de resistance was the petit silk pot served in a plant pot with a caramel pipette. We couldn’t help but polish it all off.
Alongside our afternoon tea, we were provided with an added bonus of a ‘Flora’ cocktail, a specially created tipple suitably named after a category in the Chelsea Flower Show. Combining gin, prosecco and Aperol Spritz with an in-house blend of barrel rested Chelsea Flower and Bergamot tea, the ‘Flora’ was a refreshing addition to our meal.
An original concept afternoon tea wonderfully executed with delicious food and drink, a relaxing environment and friendly, attentive staff. All in all a delightful afternoon, which I would definitely recommend.
Bookings for the afternoon tea can be made at https://100queensgate.com/food-and-drink/botanica/ and is priced at £45 pp.
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